Look What's in Store for You!

[ClayMask]

Thanks for the updates, Nutella.  I have a question about the fish.  Are mounted fish the only type that can be sold?  If it's possible to sell unmounted fish, is that something that you might consider letting us do?

[Nutella]

Tixxis already tested this, the option to sell doesn't come up for a fish in a bowl. You can name the fish or put it back in inventory.  MarianT also confirmed this. 

[Nutella]

Rule Explanation:

Everything you buy for your retail store (furniture, decorations, etc) must come out of retail funds.


I just want to explain this rule a little bit more:

Examples:
If you want to upgrade a toilet at your retail store -- You have to use your retail funds and buy a computer at the store, then use the computer to order upgrade parts.  You CANNOT use your home lot computer (that come out from your household funds) to purchase upgrade parts.

If you want to buy a chair at your retail store for your customer to sit on -- You have to use your retail funds to buy it.  As long as you are at the retail lot, open up F2 buy mode and buy, it will automatically deduct from your retail funds.  You CANNOT buy the furniture on your home lot (using household funds) then drop it in household inventory, and then take it back out to put on the retail lot.

If you want to decorate your retail store with a bright neon sign -- You have to use your retail funds to buy it (just like the above).

If you want to decorate your retail store with an item you found in the world (like crystal) -- You CAN decorate it with items you find in the wild.  Just remember you can't sell any of the decoration items at the end of the challenge to inflate retail funds.

If you want to buy a bed so you can sleep on your retail lot -- You have to use your retail funds to buy the bed.  You CANNOT use home lot household funds to buy the bed, put in inventory then pull it out on the retail lot to sleep in.

[ClayMask]

I wanted to let you know that I just tested setting a fish for sale, and I can set it for sale on a shelf or refrigerated display without a bowl.  This is for an unmounted fish.

Edit:  Thanks for clarifying about the retail funds.  I hadn't realized you'd have to buy the upgrade parts at the store, and buy a computer to buy the parts.  I often just have them in my inventory.

[Nutella]

Ah so it is only when fish is in a bowl that is unsellable.  I will make the change, thank you for testing.

[Nutella]

Rules Modification:

Added this back to the ruleset with slight changes:
Fishes (must be unmounted and not in a bowl)

[Nutella]

Rules Modification:

Added this to ruleset:
While on the retail lot, you cannot sell anything in your household inventory.  You can sell personal inventory.  You can sell a decoration and replace it with another equal or higher value decoration.


Further explanation:

-- If you have surplus stock and it is time to switch to sell a different item type.  You can leave your surplus stock at the retail lot for decoration (make sure they are not set for sale) or you can put them in your household inventory and never sell them.  If you want to sell your surplus stock for extra household cash, you have to do it while on home lot, so the funds are added to your household funds and NOT retail funds.

-- I tested this, selling through personal inventory while on the retail lot doesn't increase retail funds. 

-- Let's say you bought a sofa for your customer to sit in using retail funds.  Later you decide you want a better sofa, you are allowed to go into buy mode and sell the sofa to buy a better sofa.  You CANNOT sell the sofa and not buy anything.  You CANNOT sell the sofa and buy a much cheaper one.  You have to buy an equal or higher value sofa.


If any wordings doesn't make sense please let me know.  I try to make the ruleset short and simple, but sometimes it is impossible, hence I included long-winded explanation.  I will make sure these explanations get posted on the new thread when the challenge goes live.

[ClayMask]

If we make copies of things that we want to sell, do the copies need to be made at the store?

[Nutella]

@ClayMask
I received more information from Tixxis about "tools" used to create items.  Let me think about it for a bit and will let everyone know.

[Nutella]

Rules Modification:

Sorry to be posting so much, seems like upon further testing selling anything on the retail lot does add to retail funds.  Here is what I change on the ruleset:
While on the retail lot, you cannot sell anything in your household inventory or personal inventory.  You can however sell a decoration and replace it with another equal or higher value decoration.

[Nutella]

More Rules:

Added this to the ruleset:
Create Copy Interaction is banned.


Further Explanation:
1 - Restocking interaction at the retail store -- Ok to use.
2 - Making copies manually (via crafting) -- Ok to do.
3 - Making copies using cloning machine -- NOT OK.
4 - Making some weird items using SimRay -- NOT OK.
5 - Clicking on the item and choose the "Create Copy" interaction -- NOT OK.

#1 is ok because it takes time to restock the item using the interaction.
#2 is ok because again it takes time to repaint or recraft the item.
#3 is not ok because all you have to do is place item on machine, click one button and voila, too easy.
#4 is not ok because all you have to do is zap it with gun and you might get a $2000 item.
#5 is not ok because unlike #1 it takes only a short amount of time and it cost less to restock compared to #1.


EDIT
If there is any other ways to make copies which I did not cover, please let me know.

[Nutella]

More Rules:

Added this:
Tools you buy to create items to sell at your retail store (easel, woodworking table, etc.) must come out of retail funds.


Further Explanation:
If you want to sell microscope prints, you have to buy your microscope on the retail lot (from retail funds) to create the prints.
If you just want to level your logic skill, you can use household funds to buy chess table, skill books, etc. to level the skill.
If after a week you are no longer selling microscope prints, you can leave the microscope on the retail lot or put it in household inventory.  You can sell the obsolete microscope, but it has to be done on home lot, so that it doesn't increase your retail funds.

If we make copies of things that we want to sell, do the copies need to be made at the store?

No you don't.  You can buy the microscope at the store, put it in inventory, go back to homelot and make your microscope prints.  Copies doesn't have to be made on retail lot, but the tools that create the items must be purchased on retail lot using retail funds.

[Nutella]

Is this too difficult for everyone?  Do we need to tone it down a little?

[Tixxis]

"Tools you buy to create items to sell at your retail store (easel, woodworking table, etc.) must come out of retail funds."

Would you possibly change this to "Tools you buy to create items at your retail store must come out of retails funds." ?
It leaves the option to create items at home. Point.
Or/And to create items at the retail shop. Point.
Two different strategies which could make it overall more interesting, especially if combined. Six weeks can pass by in a whiff.

Edit: The rules to get rid of obsolete tools is sound. It allows for creating merchandise in a fair way both ways.

[Nutella]

More Changes:

I like Tixxis idea, so I am changing the following:
Tools you buy to create items at your retail store must come out of retail funds.


Further Explanation:
If you want to create the item on home lot, you can use your household funds and buy the tool.  Buy microscope to create microscope prints.
If you want to create the item while on retail lot, you have to use retain funds to buy the tool. 
Home-bought tool cannot be whisked over to the retail lot for further use there.

If you want to upgrade your microscope on home lot, you can use home lot computer and buy upgrade parts.
If you want to upgrade your microscope on retail lot, then you have to use retail funds to buy a computer in order to purchase upgrade parts.